The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-15

cally ana Clle spectators g1ggled L bluShed,
Irowned and tried to look unconcerned. If
had not been church deacon l think
should have said something profane to my
self.
In his effort to capture us individually he
reached the fat foreman last, and with a
! world of pathoS in his trembling voice and
his hands outstretched appealingly to the
little mans red handkerchief, he addressed
HIM IN the following strain:
And you sira Viii you, gentleman in
whose every lineament one can read justice
ana mercy, consign this innocent young
man-this respectable, upright citizen as
have shown him-to State prison9 have
clearly proved an alibi My proof may not
satisfy the District Attorney. He's paid to
secure conviction. 1t is his business. But
do not appeal to him; appeal to the
highest authority in criminal jurisprudence
i appeal to you. VIII you-can you-af-
ter the convincing testimony | have sub
united, do violence to your better judgment
and yield to the eloquence of prosecuting
officer whose duty in the premises is to pun
| lsh some one because crime has been COM
mittedf"
did not actually notice any tears in the
toreman'S eyes, but during the appeal to his
| justice, mercy, and better Judgment he ap-
peared to be greatly agitated. He looked
several times with a paternal solicitude to-
ward the young tough on trial, who was
valnly trying to work the sentimental rack
ct But the hardened features didn't emo
tionalize worth a button.
When counsel concluded, the District At
torney rose and the twelve jurors turned in
their seats and faced from west to northeast
by east
The ruffian at the bar, gentlemen of the
| jury" began the District Attorney. Down
came the foreman's spectacles on to his nose,
and he turned toward the culprit such
whitening look that he must have quailed
had he been less hardened, The prosecuting
officer Numbered forth his condemnation
l with such earneStness that he clearly
proved that the safety of the community
depended upon the conviction of Jim Smith,
| alias ''the Pet" alias "Boosey JIM and
alias lot of other things.
Il can scarcely believe, gentlemen" said
he, that such a ruffian can have any friends
among twelve respectable men. Yet if there
should be any one OF two among YOU
| looking pointedly at John Stubbins and my
self-'I hope the other gentlemen of the
jury will have sufficient influence over
them to bring them to a proper sense of the
duty they have sworn to perform" The
little foreman turned and eyed me reproach-
fully, and l felt a strong inclination to
strangle him with his red handkerchief.
Then came the Judges charge, with many
hens and mas and a great deal of instruc-
-
repeated himself some half score times, he
nodded to court officer, who opened the
door of the jury box with the remark:
This way gentlem'n if y please
and coats we filed out of the
court room, eyed curiously by crowd of
toughs and loungers, every one of whom
with the gentlemen with the aliases.
One very hard looking young man
who stood by the door looked at me very
pointedly and winked; clearly l was in very
bad odor
The Jury room was desolate place, inno-
| cent of furniture except for twelve rlckety
| chairs and an ancient table on which were
carved the initials of former jurynen.
Lets take ballot an see howw stand, ;.
suggested a man who had collared the best
chair.
No one had any paper.
"ru fix it - said quick-witted little Irish
| man. who had evidently been there before
Saying this he took newspaper from his
pocket and carefully cut away. the white
margin. "A portion of this he cut into
| twelve slips. and handed each juryman one.
While the search for lead pencils was pro-
ceeding the yellow gentleman, who had lost
a portion of his moustache in the court
room, exclaimed petulantly:
whats the use of balloting? The fell
| lows guilty enough, I'm sure"
"I'm very much afraid So" ventured the
timid foreman, differently, as he mopped his
| forehead.
Zach. then led us fnt him llltys and go
away to our timers" chimed in the Dutch
| man.
mot much, we don't, while I think he
amt guilty" said Stubbins.
Then the ballot was taken, being dropped
into my plug hat.
Guilty, s; not guilty, 4.
Stubbins smiled.
"My minds made up, gents, SAID the
| vounG gentleman SIN the first place the
| halibi's proved and if it warn't there amt
| nutbin' proved agen him. Yer kin make up
yer minds ter stay here all the blooming
| night if VI expect me to vote agin my con-
victons.n
Then. to show his Indifference, he pulled
from his pocket a small wooden cup, from
which he unscrewed the top portion and be
can throwing five small ivory cubes on the
| table. There were black spots on each side.
Several others gathered around and
evinced the liveliest interest in the pro
ceedings. I think they were what are
called dice. for one of the men said: Lets
chuck dice" "Chuclz dice" they did. All
I could gather of the amusement was that
the man vino said that he had a packed
house or a full resdence-l forget which
always seemed well pleased.
Then two bad cigars and foul pipe were
started. As. the reom began to fill with
smoke the yellow man Lit cigarette and my
misery was complete. abhor tobacco. l
| opened the window an inch at the top.
-'Shut that winder,h came from Stubbins.
protested, but the majority ruled, the
window was closed. Then Stubbins held a
whispered conference with two of the men,
WHO were talking about deuccs, trays, and
pears, and suddenly suggested another bal
| lot
More newspaper margins in my hat.
Guilty, 6; not guilty, .. Time, hour
sat by the window. SO did the fat fore
man, We sympathized. The Dutchman
walked up and down the room indulging in
Teutonic profanity. Suddenly looked up
and saw one Of tho jurymen at the door, in
whispered consultation with q red nose which
inst protruded into the room. Then heard
a voice coming from the region OF the rubi-
cund nasal organ, saying:
81 dasent do it."
Ten minutes later four men were sitting
at the table playing cards They kept on
promising to visit or see each other, talked
about lifting something up or raising it, and
accused each other Of being shy. | think
they were not in the least shy. One said he
was blushing or flushing or something Of the
sort. and the yellow man, who was playing,
said it always happened so when his house
was full .,,.1.